Last night of Citifest

So tonight, as we came in, there were some BMX racers doing tricks. They were amazing! I captured some photos of them. I don't know how they do it...but they were very good.

Went to Citifest again tonight. Crystal Lewis was the first one on. She only sang three songs though, so I was disappointed in that. I loved the last song she sang, "Jesus is coming". That has always been one of my favorites of hers along with the "Lion and the Lamb".

Next up was Hawk Nelson. It was a very lively performer. Kinda fun to watch.

last up was Third Day. They were also very good. I had to stand in the section in front of mom and dad because I had broken my chair and you were not allowed to stand there, only in designated areas. I really did enjoy myself.

Went to Citifest Tonight

Citifest has been being advertised for months now. I went to the website and signed up to volunteer both Saturday and Sunday. I never received a confirmation, so, being worried, I logged back in Friday night to see what was going on. It had me re-register and told me that all of the volunteer positions had been filled and I was not on the schedule. So, I emailed them and called them and never got a response back.

I really wanted to go tonight, but not alone. Angie had said she would try to meet up with me, that never happened. I had called Shellie around 1 pm and asked her to go. She said she would, but backed out at 5 pm because she was in a lot of pain. I then called my neighbor Josie to go. She said she was at the movies and she would call me when she got out at 5:15 pm. So I wait. She calls me and says Albert is on his way to pick them up. I asked her numerous times if she REALLY wanted to go. If she didn't or if she was just being nice, I would go without her because I didn't want to be late. But she said she wanted to go. So now it is 5:45pm I am already 45 minutes past the time I wanted to go. She calls me back and says she has to go grocery shopping. I can't believe her! She is so inconsiderate! Why do I even bother trying to be nice to her anymore? This is the third time she has screwed me over. So, pissed, I leave to go to the festival on my own.

I walked around for a bit and finally found a spot in a corner where I was out of the way and I listened to the music all night. The sons speech was very interesting. I was a bit peeved though because people kept standing in front of me. That wasn't so bad, but there kids kept running around in circles around me and screaming so
i couldn't hear anything. Why are parents so oblivious to these things? They certainly do not care about anyone but themselves obviously. So there I sit, alone, not being able to hear the guy, nothing to look at but the stupid kids running circles in front of me. Finally they left and I was able to enjoy the rest of the music.

I didn't know who any of the groups were. Everyone sure went crazy when Kutless came out though. I had never heard of them. But as soon as I heard them play some songs, I new I had heard them on the radio plenty of times.

All in all, it was a good night, just very lonely. But I figured I had to be independent to do this. I really wanted to go and I couldn't let the fact that no one was able or wanted to go with me stop me.

Just a little update on me

So, since I last wrote, I have found out that I also have;

• PAD (peripheral atrial disease)
• Fatty Lung Disease

I am being sent to three new specialist. A gastroenterology, pulmonary, and urologist. I am going to be tested for lung disease, aneurysm and Chron's disease. It just keeps getting better!

On a bright side, I called my insurance and they will pay for a lap-band surgery. All I have to do is pass the paperwork! I am praying I do. Although I am so excited if I can have it done, I am extremely scared at the same time.

I suppose that is it for right now. I have my aneurysm test on Tuesday. Then I can meet with the doctor and see if I passed my cardiac clearance so I can have my shoulder surgery.

I will update again later! I have been working on some wedding cards, might post those a little later.

4th of July, 2010

Dad and mom decided that they wanted to do something different this 4th of July, so they invited me to go with them to Seattle to watch the grand fireworks show.

We left Saturday morning and wend shopping at Northbend Mall. We found some clothes for dad and a t-shirt for me. Then we went to check in at the hotel. For dinner we went to the Cheesecake Factory. It was so good!

The next morning we got up and went to breakfast at this quaint little restaurant we had never been to before. My breakfast was very good. While we were there, I saw Mike Andring walk in! We chatted for a few minutes. I wish I could have hung out with him longer. I really like him. I met him when he worked at the Double Tree Hotel and we had a gift shop there.

After breakfast we drove around four two hours trying to find a good spot to see the fireworks. We went to gas works park and the line up had already begun. Miles of cars and people hanging out in chairs and tents waiting in line to get in. We didn't want to do that, so we kept looking.

We came across a great spot up on Queen Annes hill.

This is the view we had for watching the fireworks!

This is what people did to reserve their spots for watching the fireworks. One lady pulled her vehicle up, jumped out and opened up her trunk, put out three chairs, tied them together and left. Then she came back with garden trimmers and trimmed all of the brush in front of where she was going to sit and left again. Dad and I just laughed.

This is the view of Gas Works Park. Look at all the people there!

After we found our "spot", we left to go shopping. We went back to the hotel afterwards and left again at 5pm to go get some food and head back over to our spot to make sure it was reserved. Since we didn't have any chairs, we had to park the car there for five hours. Five hours without a restroom! About 8pm, people started coming around, so we had to get out of the car and stand for the last two hours to make sure we had our spots. It was the longest 5 hours, let me tell you!

Here are some of the pictures I got of the fireworks.

In Loveing Memory Of My Brother

Karissa, Steve and Shellie
On July 3rd, 2008, my brother at the age of 43 passed away and left behind 5 wondeful children, two sisters and his parents. I will never forget the phone call that I received from my mother while I was working. I will never forget that day, period.



As I sat in the hospital tonight, for a recurring uti and pylonephritis, I couldn't help but think about that day again. I was only a few rooms away from where he was. What else was I to do while I was sitting there alone. I read my book of course, but there was still spare time to think.



My brother was a great brother. As he got older, he became more of a friend to me. He was not a part of the family for a long time. But as time went on, he changed and really tired hard to be as part of it. I was so proud of him.



Last year we didn't do anything. I think we were all too sad. On top of that though, mom and dad were moving out of their house and into a new one on July 3rd last year. There wasn't much time to do anything.



This year we are going to Seattle to watch the fireworks. I am looking forward to it.



I know my brother knows how much we all miss him. I believe that he watches over all of us each and every day. I may not visit his graveside often, but I do think of him often. He is always on my mind among the other family members that have passed on as well.



A Happy Birthday to America and a I MISS YOU to my brother. I hope everyone has a safe and happy weekend. Please be sure to drive safely if you are traveling and remember to say I love you to those you do love, as you never know when they will leave this earth to our heavinly father.